Nigeria works to strengthen anti-corruption campaign, end tax fraud: official

Nigeria is working to strengthen its anti-corruption campaign by beaming the searchlight on every sector of the economy, the country's anti-graft agency chief Ibrahim Magu said on Thursday.

The campaign will also address the numerous tax frauds across the country, as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the anti-graft agency, has begun to go tough on tax evaders, Magu told reporters in Abuja.

The official said the right mechanism has been put in place to bring tax evaders to book, noting tax avoidance and evasion has been identified as one of the greatest and longstanding problems plaguing tax administration in Nigeria.

The searchlight on tax evaders is done in collaboration with Nigeria's Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) which is responsible for the collection of tax throughout the west African country.

"We are going to see that we work on this seriously," Magu said.

He added the anti-corruption campaign will be extended to universities across the country, to sensitize students on the need not to be caught in the web of corruption. Endit